American basketballer Kobe Bryant won't be back on the court for the Los Angeles Lakers this season in the US National Basketball Association.
Bryant expressed only mild frustration Wednesday after the long-expected decision to end his 18th NBA season after just six games. The guard's broken bone in his left knee has kept him out since shortly before Christmas, and it still has not healed enough for weight-bearing exercise.
With just five weeks left in their injury-ravaged season, the Lakers (22-42) elected to preserve Bryant for next year, when he'll be 36.
Exactly 11 months after tearing his Achilles, Bryant remained confident he can return in something close to top form. He plans to approach his remaining rehabilitation as “a seven-month training program,'' giving him ample time to rebuild strength in his left leg.
Bryant missed the first 19 games of this season after tearing his left Achilles tendon last April, returning December 8. The five-time NBA champion was back in uniform for just 10 days before fracturing the top of his shinbone in Memphis.--AP